A “significant” drop in crime has been observed, says Laurent Nuñez

Violent robberies on public transport, in particular, have “sharply lowered” during the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the Paris metropolitan area, assured the police prefect on Wednesday, September 25, before the law commission of the National Assembly. “We have had significant reductions in crime”said Laurent Nuñez, explaining that, during the Olympic Games period (July 26-August 11), property crimes fell by 15%, physical violence by almost 35%, pickpocketing in transport by 20% and violent robberies in transport by 41%.

“During the Paralympics, from August 28 to September 8, we have roughly the same decreases, but much better, since for property damage, it was -30%. For physical violence in transport, it was 47.5%. Pickpocketing in transport, minus 38%. And 42% for violent theft in transport. We have indeed extremely significant decreases.”continued the police prefect. A drop that can be explained in part by the strong presence of law enforcement: for the opening ceremony alone, 45,000 police officers and gendarmes (35,000 on average on other days) were mobilized, to which were added 18,000 soldiers from Operation Sentinelle and private security agents.

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“Obviously it had a very direct impact on crime, we saw it in the figures”noted Laurent Nuñez. According to the police prefect, the drop in crime, however, dates back to the implementation of a “zero crime plan” in the fall of 2022 and more broadly concerns the year 2024. It reported double-digit declines since January 1, particularly in burglaries in Paris (-20%) and violent robberies committed on urban transport (-23%).